Nov 21 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 index is seen opening 31
points lower at 7,231 on Thursday, according to financial bookmakers.
* RYANAIR: A Spanish court on Wednesday ruled budget carrier Ryanair's
policy of charging a fee for hand luggage was "abusive" and could no
longer be levied in Spain.
* DIRECT LINE: Direct Line Insurance Group Plc on Wednesday laid
out a plan to cut expenses and bolster digital presence as Britain's biggest
motor insurer looks to thrive in an industry plagued by stagnant prices and
stinging competition.
* OIL: Oil prices retreated on Thursday after gaining more than 2% in the
previous session on bullish U.S. crude inventory data, as a fresh spat over Hong
Kong fuelled concerns of a further delay in any U.S.-China trade deal.
* GOLD: Gold prices inched up on Thursday, supported by concerns that U.S.
bills on Hong Kong could increase tensions between the United States and China
and delay an interim trade deal.
* EX-DIVS: Carnival, DCC, Imperial Brands
and Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust will trade without entitlement to
its latest dividend pay-out on Thursday, trimming 3.3 points off the FTSE 100
according to Reuters calculations.
* The UK blue chip index lost 0.8% on Wednesday after three sessions of
gains as flaring tensions between China and the United States cast doubt over
prospects of a trade deal and retailer Kingfisher slumped 7% following
disappointing quarterly sales.
* UK CORPORATE DIARY:
Naked Wines PLC Half Year 2020 Earnings
Johnson Matthey PLC Half Year 2020 Earnings
Euromoney Institutional Investor Full Year 2019 Earnings
Charles Stanley Group PLC Half Year 2020 Earnings
First Property Group PLC Half Year 2019 Earnings
CMC Markets PLC Half Year 2020 Earnings
Centrica PLC Q3 2019 Trading Statement
Severn Trent PLC Half Year 2020 Earnings
Mitie Group PLC Half Year 2020 Earnings
CLS Holdings PLC Trading Statement
Investec PLC Half Year 2020 Earnings
William Hill PLC Trading Statement
Royal Mail PLC Half Year 2020 Earnings
Rotork PLC Trading Statement
Newriver Reit PLC Half Year 2020 Earnings
* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on:
TODAY'S UK PAPERS
> Financial Times
> Other business headlines
(Reporting by Tanishaa Nadkar in Bengaluru)
